This is a strange one...

So, it appears that Aruna Dindane will not be available for selection for some time?

Some 'rumours' filtering through are saying that he will be out for up to 6-weeks, and despite some concerns being raised towards the end of the week it was said that the striker would not be a serious long-term doubt - although Paul Hart has now admitted that he is doubtful for the short-term at least.

The 'suggestion' is that we may well not see him at all this month at least...

This then, for me, asks he question 'if Dindane is signed when not available for several weeks why have others not been signed now, it in the past?'

Last season we kept churning out the 'we will not sign players unless they are fit to go now', we signed Pele on loan - then proclaimed him as one for the future that had to 'get fit' but never played him, whereas we did not sign Javier Saviola or Giovanni dos Santos at all because they were 'several weeks away from being fully fit'...

Hmmm, so what is the difference?

Granted, we were in the 2nd half of the season and very much in a relegation battle but for the long-term would they not have been better signings for the future as well as the then present? Surely dos Santos would have been up to speed now, although Saviola was always out of range price wise, right? This leaves me to think that neither were 'ever' going to signed down to the money situation.

I just hope that the move to bring in Dindane pays off, and hope that he is not out for as long as some 'reports' suggest, as if he is what use is this to us? Especially if with African nations in mind in January when we could lose him for several weeks.

I know, for example, Benjani also has his injury concerns, and I must confess that I was unsure on if we should bring him back or not, but at least we would know that when fit we know exactly what he can do - I am now left with the double concern of not being completely sure what Dindane can do, and not knowing when he will be fit to be able to do what it is he does...

Comments

Why did we carry on trying to sign Zaki when his club flatly refused to sell him. We could have gone for someone else. Even more puzzling is why Nugent was sent on loan to a team who will be in the mix with Pompey. Every goal he score for them will count against us

hmmm... may have been a case of take him now and get him fit or lose him completely. With Camara on his way as cover in the short term and the international window given him more time without wasting a game it's none too bad.

I've wondered in the past, esp with Dos Santos, whether its not better to sign the player while the window's open and wait a few weeks while they get fit. But it depends on the extent of the injury and how long term it is. I'm wondering though about our pre-signing medical screenings now - we brought in Niemi with an injury as well.